THE HAGUE, Netherlands — International inspectors have uncovered dozens of chemical weapons munitions from the former Assad government that were previously unknown, according to a Wednesday report from the global chemical weapons monitoring organization.
The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, headquartered in The Hague, detailed in its May findings that investigators were permitted to examine “high-priority undeclared locations” beginning this month. The report stated that “Dozens of undeclared chemical munitions such as aerial bombs and rockets … have been found at several of these undeclared locations.”
Syria became a member of the OPCW in 2013, declaring chemical weapons existed at 26 sites throughout the nation. However, the monitoring organization believes approximately 100 additional locations may contain such weapons.
After the removal of Assad from power in December 2024, Syria’s transitional government led by interim-President Ahmad al-Sharaa has promised to eliminate any leftover chemical weapons from the previous administration.
During an address to the OPCW in The Hague last year, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani requested international assistance in eliminating these prohibited weapons from his nation.
Syria’s current leadership has vowed to “destroy any remains of the chemical weapons program developed under the Assad regime, to put an end to this painful legacy, to bring justice to victims, and to ensure that the compliance with international law is a solid one,” he said.
Syria became an OPCW member in 2013 to prevent potential military strikes following a chemical weapons incident near Damascus. While Assad’s administration rejected claims of chemical weapons usage, the OPCW has previously documented evidence of their continuous deployment by Syria throughout the prolonged civil conflict.
The watchdog organization has also determined that the Islamic State group employed chemical weapons during the warfare.
